Bill Overview
Title: Federal Prison Oversight Act
Description: This bill requires the Inspector General of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct periodic inspections of correctional facilities operated by the Bureau of Prisons. The bill also requires DOJ to establish an ombudsman to receive complaints relating to issues affecting the health, safety, welfare, or rights of incarcerated people or staff.
Sponsors: Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals incarcerated in Bureau of Prisons facilities
Estimated Size: 153000
- The bill is focused on reform and oversight of correctional facilities operated by the Bureau of Prisons, which directly affects individuals incarcerated in these facilities.
- Staff working in Bureau of Prisons facilities will also be impacted as the bill includes provisions that relate to their workplace environment and complaint management.
- The Inspector General and the Department of Justice will have increased oversight responsibilities, impacting their workloads and operations.
- As of 2023, the United States has a federal prison population of about 153,000 individuals, who will be directly affected by the operational changes stemming from the act.
Reasoning
- The target population primarily consists of incarcerated individuals in federal prisons, numbering approximately 153,000, and staff working in these facilities.
- The policy aims to establish oversight, which is likely to improve conditions within these facilities over time, potentially increasing subjective wellbeing among prisoners and staff.
- Given the budget constraints, I focused on the average cost per affected individual and the scope of improvements that might be feasible immediately versus longer term.
- Some interviews also include individuals not directly impacted but who might be secondarily affected, like family members or people involved in prisoner rights advocacy.
- The interviews cover a range of possible impacts, from those who experience direct policy effects to others for whom effects might be minimal or long-term.
- It’s important to keep in mind that the full effect of oversight changes may take many years to manifest in terms of significant wellbeing improvements.
Simulated Interviews
Incarcerated person (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy brings some changes.
- The current conditions are tough, and there's little recourse when things go wrong.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Federal prison guard (Lompoc, California)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried it might mean more paperwork and oversight, which can be a headache.
- But if it really helps with complaints, then it's worth it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Prisoner rights advocate (Rochester, New York)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The act should increase accountability, which is much needed.
- I'm cautiously optimistic but aware that systemic change takes time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Incarcerated person (Miami, Florida)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- There needs to be someone listening to our complaints.
- I'm hopeful that oversight will lead to fair treatment.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Inspector General for the DOJ (Washington, DC)
Age: 57 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This legislation is pivotal in enhancing transparency.
- It's a heavy lift but necessary for change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Public defender (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act is long overdue.
- It should create a more humane environment if properly enforced.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Former incarcerated person (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I wish these policies were in place when I was serving time.
- This could really change things for the better over time.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Bureau of Prisons administrative staff (Denver, Colorado)
Age: 36 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It could mean more work, but if it leads to better working conditions overall, it might be worth it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Federal prison healthcare worker (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We need better resources to do our jobs effectively.
- I hope oversight means addressing these issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Retired federal judge (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
Age: 61 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Legislative efforts like this are essential.
- Hopefully, it will be funded and enforced adequately.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $60000000)
Year 2: $51000000 (Low: $41000000, High: $61000000)
Year 3: $52000000 (Low: $42000000, High: $62000000)
Year 5: $54000000 (Low: $44000000, High: $64000000)
Year 10: $58000000 (Low: $48000000, High: $68000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The improvement in oversight could result in better conditions in federal prisons, which may lead to longer-term efficiency gains and possibly cost reductions.
- There is uncertainty around the volume and complexity of complaints that the ombudsman will have to handle, which could affect cost estimates.
- Potential reputational benefits in demonstrating increased accountability and transparency within the federal prison system.